Written Answers Tuesday 17 August 2010

Scottish Executive

Education

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether direct comparisons in attainment at P3, P5, P7 and S2 can be made between the Scottish Survey of Achievement and the results from the 5 - 14 National Tests.

Michael Russell: The National Survey of 5-14 Attainment Levels was implemented in publicly funded primary and secondary schools in Scotland between 1999 and 2004. This survey was specifically designed to measure the progress of individual pupils and the results were derived from a range of class-based assessments, carried out by teachers throughout the school year.

  The Scottish Survey of Achievement (SSA) was a sample survey of pupils’ attainment in Scottish primary and secondary schools carried out annually from 2005 until 2009. This survey was designed to provide a picture of attainment across different areas of the curriculum at a national level. The results were derived from a one-off annual assessment of pupils using common assessment materials administered under typical test conditions.

  Due to their differing nature, direct comparisons in attainment should not be made between the SSA and the results from the National Survey of 5-14 Attainment Levels. The 5-14 Survey was a performance-related data collection and schools were held accountable for their results. The SSA was designed to provide a low-stakes national attainment monitoring tool, based on a random sample of schools and pupils.

Education

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been continual comparable data collection on attainment in reading, writing and numeracy at P3, P5, P7 and S2 since 1999.

Michael Russell: Data from the National Survey of 5-14 Attainment Levels was collected between 1999 and 2004 for reading, writing and numeracy and these results are comparable over this time period.

  From 2005 until 2009, the Scottish Survey of Achievement (SSA) collected data in selected years for reading and numeracy attainment at P3, P5, P7 and S2. Reading data is available for 2005, 2006 and 2009, and for numeracy in 2005, 2006 and 2008. Both sets of SSA data are comparable only over the time periods stated.

  Finally, 2001 data from the Assessment of Achievement Programme (AAP) can be used to compare reading attainment to the 2005 SSA results (P7 and S2 only). Similarly, the 2000 AAP numeracy attainment data can be compared with the 2005 SSA results (P7 and S2 only).

  However, it should be noted that, due to their differing nature, direct comparisons in attainment should not be made between these three surveys. The 5-14 Survey was a performance-related data collection and schools were held accountable for their results. The SSA was designed to provide a low-stakes national attainment monitoring tool, based on a random sample of schools and pupils.

Education

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the trend has been in attainment levels in writing, reading and numeracy at P3, P5, P7 and S2 since 1999.

Michael Russell: The information requested is given in tables 1-10 of "Attainment levels in reading, writing and numeracy in Scotland since 1999", a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51460).

  It should be noted that, due to their differing nature, direct comparisons in attainment should not be made between the SSA and the results from the National Survey of 5-14 Attainment Levels. The 5-14 Survey was a performance-related data collection and schools were held accountable for their results. The SSA was designed to provide a low-stakes national attainment monitoring tool, based on a random sample of schools and pupils.

Education

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it assesses progress in educational attainment in reading, writing and numeracy over time.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government uses a range of assessment tools to monitor progress in educational attainment over time. In recent years this has included:

  - Analysis of common tasks over time using the Scottish Survey of Achievement (SSA).

  - Teachers’ judgements collected alongside the SSA.

  - Making international comparisons using the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

  - Performance in English and Maths using SQA examination results.

  - Inspections and reviews carried out by HMIE to monitor quality improvement.

Health

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve referral and treatment pathways for patients experiencing lymphoedema following breast cancer treatment.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government will be taking a keen interest in the findings of the short-life working group of the Scottish Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee (SMASAC) in scoping lymphoedema services across Scotland, as well as outcomes from the Joint Lymphoedema Working Group which is currently developing a service model for lymphoedema in Scotland.

  We are currently developing a National Musculoskeletal (MSK) Programme, which should improve delivery of MSK services, which are relevant to people living with lymphoedema. Implementation will be overseen by a national programme board and a national clinical lead will be appointed to support the programme’s roll-out. Funding for this post has been provided though the Delivery Framework for Adult Rehabilitation, which supports the programme through its emphasis on local, easily accessible services designed to facilitate transition from hospital to community and subsequently aid recovery or long term self-management of conditions.

  These developments will build on the work towards developing the International consensus document Best Practice for the Management of Lymphoedema, which was launched at the conference of the British Lymphology Society in October 2006, and includes recommendations in relation to referral and treatment pathways for lymphoedema.

Health

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34738 by Shona Robison on 16 July 2010, what consideration has been given to the merits of using the enriched culture medium method for testing pregnant women for group B streptococcus carriage as compared with those of the standard swab/culture method used widely in the NHS.

Shona Robison: The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has considered the evidence for screening based on the use of the Enriched Culture Medium (ECM) test to detect carriage of group B streptococcus (GBS) in pregnancy.

  Health professionals are concerned that, whilst the ECM test’s detection rate appears to be very high, it cannot identify the very small number of women whose babies will be affected. This could lead to unnecessary anxiety and over prescribing of antibiotics during labour.

Justice

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been convicted of motoring offences in each of the last five years, broken down by sheriff court.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information on persons convicted in Scottish courts is given in the following tables. Following the summary justice reforms introduced in December 2007 there has been an increase in cases involving motor vehicle offences being dealt with by district courts rather than sheriff courts.

  Persons with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts for Motoring Offences1, 2004-05 to 2008-09

  

Court
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09


High Court
6
9
8
14
5


Sheriff Court 2
24,793
22,132
21,965
21,136
14,278


District/JP Court 3
22,716
23,062
23,091
24,164
30,392


Scotland 4
47,515
45,203
45,065
45,314
44,680



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Includes Sheriff Solemn, Sheriff Summary and Sheriff Summary Youth Courts.

  3. Includes District, Justice of the Peace and Stipendiary Magistrates.

  4. A small number of court types are unknown.

  Persons with a Charge Proved in Sheriff Courts for Motoring Offences1, 2004-05 to 2008-09

  

Sheriff Court
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09


Aberdeen
1,576
1,445
1,256
1,249
991


Airdrie
658
534
606
627
447


Alloa
246
225
260
200
142


Arbroath
431
375
360
275
225


Ayr
707
644
813
731
443


Banff
133
110
126
115
84


Campbeltown
85
80
70
63
36


Cupar
263
215
224
230
134


Dingwall
194
213
183
208
115


Dornoch
75
66
61
57
44


Dumbarton
654
574
569
684
463


Dumfries
1,566
1,179
1,493
1,482
686


Dundee
1,059
994
931
697
415


Dunfermline
639
629
562
555
440


Dunoon
147
129
98
130
106


Duns
121
97
107
87
62


Edinburgh
2,368
2,111
2,236
1,973
1,272


Elgin
472
418
361
405
265


Falkirk
686
571
586
704
428


Forfar
428
297
345
311
202


Fort William
191
197
162
128
93


Glasgow
972
1,005
955
1,045
630


Greenock
372
305
243
234
176


Haddington
359
303
265
311
225


Hamilton
1,534
1,500
1,318
1,294
1,070


Inverness
786
608
624
551
366


Jedburgh
155
166
141
130
86


Kilmarnock
982
968
1,002
968
696


Kirkcaldy
926
721
698
705
641


Kirkcudbright
146
138
143
170
91


Kirkwall
93
80
108
117
88


Lanark
356
284
249
270
138


Lerwick
150
134
134
128
97


Livingston/Linlithgow
781
763
764
669
418


Lochmaddy
46
29
37
25
14


Oban
136
127
118
110
85


Paisley
892
889
866
811
605


Peebles
62
81
70
66
42


Perth
1,055
763
778
680
381


Peterhead
400
343
255
278
251


Portree
46
57
50
37
47


Rothesay
26
26
39
29
24


Selkirk
197
194
172
145
73


Stirling
493
446
512
522
312


Stonehaven
291
275
270
246
177


Stornoway
88
135
98
121
95


Stranraer
442
453
408
333
224


Tain
170
129
127
141
65


Wick
137
105
112
89
68


Sheriff court unknown
1
2
0
0
0


Scotland
24,793
22,132
21,965
21,136
14,278



  Persons with a Charge Proved in District/JP Courts for Motoring Offences1, 2004-05 to 2008-09

  

District Court
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09


Aberdeen City
1,072
1,039
842
1,084
2,234


Aberdeenshire
761
830
952
1,350
1,055


Angus
821
732
832
625
627


Argyll and Bute
172
144
52
160
244


Clackmannanshire
222
217
191
225
250


Dumfries and Galloway
1,069
1,497
1,543
1,948
2,548


Dundee City
710
703
621
624
691


East Ayrshire
837
1,094
314
360
672


East Dunbartonshire
79
20
3
24
82


East Lothian
142
127
95
90
275


East Renfrewshire
81
51
95
91
183


Edinburgh, City of
1,700
1,790
2,224
2,156
2,655


Falkirk
700
912
632
761
910


Fife
1,731
1,216
874
1,205
1,584


Glasgow City
4,897
5,196
6,116
5,155
4,985


Highland
1,686
1,305
1,155
1,224
1,596


Inverclyde
173
105
53
169
323


Midlothian
145
137
81
85
1


Moray
196
164
145
112
229


North Ayrshire
147
274
242
352
578


North Lanarkshire
1,241
1,363
1,521
1,759
2,264


Perth and Kinross
852
640
1,056
1,017
1,371


Renfrewshire
315
303
342
409
629


Scottish Borders
917
1,187
1,196
1,176
936


South Ayrshire
238
376
435
265
761


South Lanarkshire
579
665
637
650
1,115


Stirling
538
407
432
530
712


West Dunbartonshire
201
80
111
126
249


West Lothian
449
458
271
416
561


Western Isles
44
25
28
13
27


District court unknown
1
5
0
3
45


Scotland
22,716
23,062
23,091
24,164
30,392



  Note: 1. Where main offence.

Justice

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been convicted of not having motor insurance when driving in each of the last five years, broken down by sheriff court.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following tables. Following the summary justice reforms introduced in 2007 there has been an increase in motor insurance offences being dealt with by district courts rather than sheriff courts.

  Persons Convicted for Motor Insurance Offences1 in 2004-05 to 2008-09 by Sheriff Court2

  

Sheriff Court
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09


Aberdeen
366
263
261
190
103


Airdrie
140
77
91
135
55


Alloa
88
90
92
61
26


Arbroath
106
76
70
39
18


Ayr
220
172
205
182
51


Banff
42
19
22
12
7


Campbeltown
17
13
6
14
1


Cupar
64
30
46
50
10


Dingwall
33
30
40
52
10


Dornoch
10
7
4
9
1


Dumbarton
213
173
162
161
69


Dumfries
274
218
271
201
91


Dundee
352
268
227
152
50


Dunfermline
204
160
121
115
55


Dunoon
31
18
11
15
12


Duns
35
31
30
27
11


Edinburgh
672
515
675
540
190


Elgin
98
101
76
100
30


Falkirk
155
109
129
165
56


Forfar
74
39
36
53
17


Fort William
32
25
24
19
8


Glasgow
194
176
189
126
55


Greenock
137
95
57
69
6


Haddington
70
60
41
42
19


Hamilton
496
437
351
336
179


Inverness
120
89
76
58
22


Jedburgh
58
58
56
32
18


Kilmarnock
285
286
261
252
126


Kirkcaldy
304
188
167
175
137


Kirkcudbright
41
21
24
20
12


Kirkwall
11
9
6
12
11


Lanark
78
39
26
31
12


Lerwick
14
14
20
23
8


Livingston/Linlithgow
315
282
267
225
68


Lochmaddy
8
9
5
4
2


Oban
35
33
17
16
7


Paisley
296
264
215
177
54


Peebles
12
15
22
18
0


Perth
124
106
132
117
43


Peterhead
130
80
47
33
34


Portree
7
5
6
4
2


Rothesay
3
5
9
6
7


Selkirk
63
50
45
47
7


Stirling
139
110
138
139
47


Stonehaven
35
22
22
29
6


Stornoway
7
25
6
23
7


Stranraer
88
58
53
47
32


Tain
41
42
40
36
6


Wick
27
21
18
18
6


Not Known
1
0
0
0
0


Scotland
6,365
5,033
4,915
4,407
1,804



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Based on sheriff court of most recent 2004-05 to 2008-09 offence.

  Persons Convicted for Motor Insurance Offences1 in 2004-05 to 2008-09 by District/JP Court2

  

District Court
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09


Aberdeen City
119
149
235
189
394


Aberdeenshire
78
167
151
188
103


Angus
38
97
129
100
147


Argyll and Bute
0
0
3
18
23


Clackmannanshire
5
19
8
13
47


Dumfries and Galloway
16
25
42
101
226


Dundee City
142
123
145
143
218


East Ayrshire
7
19
38
28
132


East Dunbartonshire
2
1
0
5
15


East Lothian
13
9
35
25
76


East Renfrewshire
5
5
15
17
53


Edinburgh, City of
192
216
251
395
758


Eilean Siar
0
0
0
0
0


Falkirk
64
68
75
99
129


Fife
343
375
278
353
629


Glasgow City
1,647
1,734
1,777
1,560
1,271


Highland
30
49
60
98
208


Inverclyde
4
10
6
62
118


Midlothian
18
24
31
32
1


Moray
1
7
0
0
43


North Ayrshire
7
14
29
50
151


North Lanarkshire
134
186
187
202
454


Orkney Islands
0
0
0
0
0


Perth and Kinross
94
85
55
72
155


Renfrewshire
18
27
61
116
197


Scottish Borders
9
27
9
7
94


South Ayrshire
3
21
28
70
156


South Lanarkshire
43
70
112
136
253


Stirling
11
16
14
13
54


West Dunbartonshire
0
0
13
31
94


West Lothian
16
26
44
65
250


Western Isles
0
1
0
0
6


Not Known
0
3
0
0
9


Scotland
3,059
3,573
3,831
4,188
6,464



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Based on sheriff court of most recent 2004-05 to 2008-09 offence.

Justice

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been convicted more than once of not having motor insurance when driving in each of the last five years, broken down by sheriff court.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following tables. Following the summary justice reforms introduced in 2007 there has been an increase in cases being dealt with by district courts rather than sheriff courts.

  The following four tables present results on two bases, for both sheriff and district/JP courts; the first table for each court type presents the number of persons having a previous conviction for the same offence within the previous ten years; the second table for each court type presents the number of persons having a previous conviction for the same offence within the same financial year.

  Persons convicted for motor insurance offence1 in 2004-05 to 2008-09 by sheriff court2 with at least one conviction for a previous motor insurance offence (in any court) within the previous ten years:

  

Sheriff Court
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09


Aberdeen
113
98
114
89
51


Airdrie
39
23
24
39
10


Alloa
22
26
30
16
5


Arbroath
35
24
21
15
7


Ayr
43
34
34
59
15


Banff
12
8
10
5
1


Campbeltown
1
2
1
4
0


Cupar
17
7
7
12
4


Dingwall
7
5
8
13
6


Dornoch
2
1
1
1
0


Dumbarton
37
35
37
40
31


Dumfries
43
36
63
47
20


Dundee
96
95
88
71
29


Dunfermline
96
85
57
51
31


Dunoon
7
4
2
2
7


Duns
1
3
4
2
2


Edinburgh
132
126
177
173
75


Elgin
24
19
12
21
5


Falkirk
44
28
35
42
26


Forfar
16
7
11
17
8


Fort William
4
0
5
5
3


Glasgow
43
51
63
40
19


Greenock
19
26
21
19
4


Haddington
15
17
10
12
8


Hamilton
135
113
98
113
75


Inverness
27
18
25
15
5


Jedburgh
8
10
5
8
3


Kilmarnock
53
54
58
73
41


Kirkcaldy
118
89
84
91
73


Kirkcudbright
6
2
7
6
2


Kirkwall
1
2
0
2
1


Lanark
15
6
10
7
6


Lerwick
1
1
4
5
2


Livingston/Linlithgow
71
63
70
68
27


Lochmaddy
0
0
0
1
0


Oban
8
8
4
4
1


Paisley
52
68
65
50
17


Peebles
2
3
3
2
0


Perth
43
30
43
34
15


Peterhead
25
35
12
16
8


Portree
2
0
1
0
1


Rothesay
0
0
1
0
1


Selkirk
14
11
7
9
2


Stirling
32
32
25
36
14


Stonehaven
9
8
10
6
2


Stornoway
0
3
0
4
2


Stranraer
12
5
10
8
8


Tain
9
9
7
9
1


Wick
3
5
2
5
1


Total
1,514
1,335
1,386
1,367
675



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Based on sheriff court of most recent 2004-05 to 2008-09 offence.

  Persons convicted for motor insurance offences1 in 2004-05 to 2008-09 by sheriff court2 with at least one other conviction for a previous motor insurance offence (in any court) in the year considered:

  

Sheriff Court
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09


Aberdeen
37
22
31
18
4


Airdrie
11
5
5
11
2


Alloa
8
6
3
3
1


Arbroath
6
5
7
3
0


Ayr
16
9
8
16
3


Banff
3
1
4
1
0


Campbeltown
0
0
0
0
0


Cupar
3
2
3
3
0


Dingwall
2
0
1
3
1


Dornoch
2
0
0
0
0


Dumbarton
17
10
8
5
3


Dumfries
23
13
13
7
4


Dundee
27
16
27
13
2


Dunfermline
24
18
14
8
10


Dunoon
1
1
0
1
0


Duns
1
0
2
0
0


Edinburgh
49
34
45
22
11


Elgin
3
7
1
2
2


Falkirk
10
6
8
13
4


Forfar
5
1
1
2
0


Fort William
3
0
1
2
0


Glasgow
15
17
15
11
2


Greenock
6
10
6
8
0


Haddington
5
4
1
2
0


Hamilton
34
37
26
32
14


Inverness
7
6
5
2
1


Jedburgh
2
1
3
0
0


Kilmarnock
15
17
12
17
4


Kirkcaldy
37
22
19
24
13


Kirkcudbright
3
1
1
2
0


Kirkwall
0
0
0
0
0


Lanark
8
3
1
3
0


Lerwick
0
0
0
1
0


Livingston/Linlithgow
12
16
7
5
3


Lochmaddy
0
0
0
0
0


Oban
1
2
0
1
0


Paisley
22
25
17
12
5


Peebles
2
1
0
1
0


Perth
8
11
9
6
3


Peterhead
14
3
4
3
0


Portree
0
0
0
0
0


Rothesay
0
0
1
0
1


Selkirk
1
3
1
1
0


Stirling
17
9
9
7
2


Stonehaven
3
2
2
1
0


Stornoway
0
0
0
1
0


Stranraer
6
0
2
1
1


Tain
1
1
0
0
0


Wick
0
0
0
0
0


Total
470
347
323
274
96



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Based on sheriff court of most recent 2004-05 to 2008-09 offence.

  Persons convicted for motor insurance offences1 in 2004-05 to 2008-09 by district/JP court2 with at least one conviction for a previous motor insurance offence (in any court) within the previous 10 years:

  

District Court
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09


Aberdeen City
15
17
31
31
66


Aberdeenshire
13
18
13
27
18


Angus
5
14
24
17
34


Argyll and Bute
0
0
0
1
2


Clackmannanshire
0
5
0
1
12


Dumfries and Galloway
1
1
2
9
38


Dundee City
19
20
20
17
59


East Ayrshire
0
0
1
5
16


East Dunbartonshire
0
0
0
1
2


East Lothian
2
1
3
6
8


East Renfrewshire
0
0
2
4
10


Edinburgh, City of
17
16
13
55
149


Eilean Siar
0
0
0
0
0


Falkirk
9
5
8
14
31


Fife
51
33
27
42
152


Glasgow City
356
408
391
407
299


Highland
2
0
2
6
26


Inverclyde
1
1
0
9
21


Midlothian
4
2
1
5
1


Moray
0
1
0
0
7


North Ayrshire
0
0
0
3
21


North Lanarkshire
10
26
36
29
91


Orkney Islands
0
0
0
0
0


Perth and Kinross
17
19
2
10
24


Renfrewshire
2
5
7
20
41


Scottish Borders
3
1
1
1
8


Shetland Islands
0
0
0
0
0


South Ayrshire
1
1
1
11
21


South Lanarkshire
2
12
19
21
36


Stirling
1
4
1
2
6


West Dunbartonshire
0
0
1
3
20


West Lothian
1
0
2
6
49


Total
532
610
608
763
1,269



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Based on district/JP court of most recent 2004-05 to 2008-09 offence.

  3. Total for 2008-09 contains one case where court was unknown.

  Persons convicted for motor insurance offences1 in 2004-05 to 2008-09 by district/JP court2 with at least one other conviction for a motor insurance offence (in any court) in the year considered.

  

District Court
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09


Aberdeen City
11
6
8
3
23


Aberdeenshire
8
7
4
5
1


Angus
4
3
12
5
5


Argyll and Bute
0
0
0
0
0


Clackmannanshire
0
2
0
1
4


Dumfries and Galloway
0
0
0
3
6


Dundee City
14
10
11
4
11


East Ayrshire
0
0
1
0
1


East Dunbartonshire
0
0
0
1
0


East Lothian
0
0
1
3
3


East Renfrewshire
0
0
1
2
4


Edinburgh, City of
15
6
5
20
22


Eilean Siar
0
0
0
0
0


Falkirk
4
2
4
5
6


Fife
26
15
5
10
29


Glasgow City
123
144
108
103
63


Highland
1
0
0
1
5


Inverclyde
0
0
0
4
4


Midlothian
3
1
0
1
0


Moray
0
1
0
0
3


North Ayrshire
0
0
0
1
2


North Lanarkshire
4
8
9
9
30


Orkney Islands
0
0
0
0
0


Perth and Kinross
7
4
1
2
3


Renfrewshire
1
2
6
7
9


Scottish Borders
0
1
0
0
0


Shetland Islands
0
0
0
0
0


South Ayrshire
1
1
0
6
3


South Lanarkshire
1
3
9
4
7


Stirling
1
1
0
0
2


West Dunbartonshire
0
0
0
2
4


West Lothian
1
0
0
2
10


Total3
225
217
185
204
261



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Based on district/JP court of most recent 2004-05 to 2008-09 offence.

  3. Total for 2008-09 contains one case where court was unknown.

National Health Service

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards transfer laboratory results electronically.

Nicola Sturgeon: All NHS boards electronically transfer laboratory results from their various laboratory test systems to a single IT repository, to which authorised clinicians have online look-up access. From that repository there are various examples of onward transfer, for example to infection control databases.

National Health Service

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available to NHS boards that wish to upgrade their systems to allow for electronic transfer of laboratory results.

Nicola Sturgeon: Scottish Government funds the single IT repository for test results, known as SCI Store, plus the standards and electronic interface to allow further transfer of test results. Scottish Government has also recently announced a programme to establish comprehensive IT support for infection control, and this will include electronic transfer of test results where this is not already in place. Further examples being delivered by the eHealth Strategy are a new IT system for GPs and a Patient Management System for hospitals. These major procurements have the capacity to receive laboratory results electronically.

Poverty

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34944 by Alex Neil on 23 July 2010, whether it will publish the reviews by its officials of the annual reports on single outcome agreements on the extent to which they are tackling multiple disadvantage.

Nicola Sturgeon: Decisions have yet to be taken on how to report on the review of the annual reports on single outcome agreements and the extent to which they show progress in tackling multiple disadvantage.

Renewable Energy

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) volume of land has been occupied by and (b) proportion of total energy generated has come from wind farms in each year since 1997.

Jim Mather: The information requested on volume of land is not held centrally. Scottish Natural Heritage has published maps of the areas of wind farm sites on its website at http://www.snh.gov.uk .

  The information requested on electricity generation from wind farms is not held centrally in the format requested. Scottish renewable electricity statistics for wind and wave power from 2000 onwards are collated by the UK Government Department of Energy and Climate Change and detailed in the following table. These statistics are also available from the Scottish Government website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk.

  Wind and Wave Generated Electricity as a Percentage of Total Generation

  

Year
 


2000
0.4


2001
0.5


2002
0.8


2003
0.9


2004
1.7


2005
2.6


2006
3.9


2007
5.5


2008
6.7



  Total generation is the amount of electricity generated in Scotland by the major power producers and other generators. It includes generation from nuclear fuel, coal, oil, gas, hydro and other renewables (for example, landfill gas and wind power). Wind and wave statistics cannot be published in a disaggregated form because to do so could disclose data that relate to individual companies.

Scottish Investment Bank

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-35093 by Jim Mather on 4 August 2010, with what potential investors the Scottish Investment Bank is in discussions.

Jim Mather: Commercial discussions with potential investors are on a commercially confidential basis and as such it would not be appropriate at this point to provide further details. The process of securing substantial private sector investment rightly requires careful consideration of a range of issues by all parties concerned and we are working hard to bring these discussions to a positive conclusion as soon as possible.

Teachers

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-25977 by Fiona Hyslop on 13 August 2009, whether further research has been conducted into why there are fewer male, compared with female, primary school teachers in Scotland and, if so, what the conclusions have been.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government has not commissioned any further research into why there are fewer male, compared with female, primary school teachers in Scotland.

Teachers

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it responds to any evidence that suggests that the absence of male teachers and role models in schools can have a detrimental effect on the education of a child

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is aware of the range of evidence about the importance of a male role model in a child’s education. However, it believes that the focus should be on attracting the highest quality and best motivated people into teaching irrespective of their gender. This is consistent with the conclusion drawn by many researchers in this field.

Teachers

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-25975 by Fiona Hyslop on 13 August 2009, what further steps it is considering to attract more men into primary and secondary school teaching

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government continues to promote teaching at careers fairs and takes any opportunities that arise at such events to actively encourage men to consider teaching as a career. However, in the current situation of teacher over-supply we consider that it would be inappropriate to mount any sort of active campaign related to teacher recruitment.

Teachers

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the ongoing commitment by the Training and Development Agency for Schools to increase the number of under-represented groups, including men, to become teachers in schools in England

Michael Russell: We understand that the latest recruitment figures in England indicate a modest increase in the proportion of men amongst applicants to courses of initial teacher training. However, it is not clear whether this is directly related to actions taken by the Training Development Agency or to wider economic and employment related circumstances.

Teachers

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the most recent figures are on the proportion of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools with no men on the teaching staff

Michael Russell: In the September 2009 teacher census 35 per cent of publicly funded primary schools, accounting for 25 per cent of pupils, have no men on the teaching staff. This represents a reduction since 2008 in the proportion of primary schools that do not have men among their teaching staff. There are no publicly funded secondary schools without men on the teaching staff.